This invention relates to debit cards, such as telephone calling cards, and more particularly, this invention relates to debit cards having personal identification numbers (PIN).
In the incorporated ""096 patent application, telephone calling cards and debit cards can be processed in an automated manner very quickly while also having a PIN (personal identification number) and control code applied onto the debit card or telephone calling card in an efficient manner. The PIN and control code are applied without the drawbacks of having one or two printing steps or a separate coding step required to cover the printed PIN, or the drawback of having a control number accidentally covered under high speed operating conditions.
In this copending application, a debit card or telephone calling card includes a planar card member having front and rear surfaces. A scratch-off label strip is adhered to a surface of the planar card member and in one aspect, the rear surface. This scratch-off label strip has opposing sides, one side adhered onto the planar card member and the other side having a PIN code field containing a printed PIN (personal identification number) thereon. A scratch-off layer covers the PIN code field to obscure from viewing the PIN code. The scratch-off label strip includes a base label layer that had been removed from a carrier web during an automated labeling process and applied onto the card. A control code field is positioned adjacent the PIN code field, wherein the scratch-off layer covers only the PIN code field. The control code field can include a bar code or an array of dots. This planar card member is preferably rectangular configured and wallet sized. An adhesive can be positioned on one side of the scratch-off label strip and could be a self-adhesive.
This type of construction may not always provide foolproof security depending on the types of labels used as the base label. For example, some of the debit cards, and especially the telephone calling cards, are worth as much as $500 or more. Some thieves will freeze the cards and then remove the scratch-off label from the card, revealing the PIN. For example, once the underlying base layer is removed from the card, one could see the PIN by viewing the label from the side that had been attached onto the telephone calling card. Thus, it is possible to steal a PIN number by freezing the card and removing the scratch-off label. The PIN could be copied and the scratch-off label reapplied. Afterwards, it would appear to an ordinary observer and others that the card had never been tampered with. A solution to this type of tampering is necessary because of the large number of telephone calling cards and similar debit cards that are produced and the concomitant high dollar amounts involved with such cards.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a debit card, such as a telephone calling card, which has enhanced security such that even if a scratch-off label were removed, the PIN code could not be revealed.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a telephone calling card or debit card that has enhanced security with the scratch-off label.
In accordance with the present invention, a telephone calling card, and in one aspect of the present invention a debit card, such as a credit card or telephone calling card, includes a planar card member having front and rear surfaces. A scratch-off label strip is adhered to one of the surfaces, such as the rear surface. The scratch-off label strip includes an opaque label strip applied onto the surface of the card. A PIN (personal identification number) code is applied onto the opaque label strip. In one aspect of the present invention, a second label strip is applied onto the opaque label strip and covers at least the PIN code. A scratch-off layer is applied onto the second label strip and positioned over the PIN code to obscure from viewing the PIN code.
In another aspect of the present invention, the second label strip includes an adhesive on one side that adheres the second label strip onto the opaque label strip such that the two strips cannot be removed without destroying the PIN code. It is possible that the second label strip could also be opaque.
The PIN code can be printed onto the opaque label strip by an ink jet or other means known to those skilled in the art. In one aspect of the invention, the opaque label strip has been removed from a carrier web during automated labeling process, followed by application of the second label strip in a subsequent processing step. In yet another aspect of the present invention, the entire scratch-off label strip has been prepared with the opaque label strip, PIN code, and second label strip, and wound onto a roll or carrier web, and then removed from a carrier web during an automated labeling process.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a control code field is positioned adjacent the PIN code, wherein the scratch-off layer covers only the PIN code. Adhesive is positioned on one side of the opaque label strip for adhering the opaque label strip to the planar card member. This adhesive could include a self-adhesive. It is also possible that the adhesive could be applied directly onto the card and the opaque label strip applied to the card and retained by the adhesive applied on the card. As is typical, the planar card member is preferably rectangular configured and wallet sized, such that it can be placed within the wallet of a user.
In another aspect of the present invention, the telephone calling card (or debit card) may not have to include a second label strip. A planar card member has front and rear surfaces and the scratch-off label strip is adhered to a surface, such as the rear surface. The opaque label strip is applied onto the surface of the card and the PIN code is applied onto the label strip. The scratch-off layer is positioned over the PIN code to obscure from viewing the PIN code. Thus, if the card were to be frozen and the opaque label strip removed, the PIN code could not be revealed because the opaque label strip hides the PIN code. The PIN code could only be revealed if the scratch-off layer was removed. In this instance, however, the manufacturer or end user would know that the card had been tampered with by viewing the tampered scratch-off layer.
A method of applying a PIN (personal identification number) code onto a debit card, such as a telephone calling card, is also disclosed. A batch of planar card members that have front and rear surfaces is supplied. A single planar card member is drawn in succession one at a time into a delivery mechanism. The card is fed into a labeling station. At the labeling station, the scratch-off label strip is adhered onto a surface of the planar card member. The scratch-off label strip includes the opaque label strip, the PIN code, the second label strip and the scratch-off layer applied onto the second label strip and positioned over the PIN code to obscure from viewing the PIN code.
In another aspect of the present invention, it is possible to apply the scratch-off layer as an integral strip where the opaque label strip and the second label strip adhered thereto are removed from the carrier web and applied onto the card. In another aspect of the present invention, the opaque label strip is applied onto the planar card member, followed by application of the PIN code, such as by ink jet printing, followed by the second label strip over the opaque label strip. In this instance, when no second label strip is used, then only the scratch-off layer is applied at least over the PIN code. In some instances, it is possible to apply a label over a scratch-off layer to enhance security.